Intel and Shell launch first certified cooling solution for data centres

Intel and Shell have announced the industry’s first certified immersion cooling solution for data centres, aimed at addressing the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

The Intel Data Center Certified for Immersion Cooling solution combines Intel’s Xeon processors with Shell’s cooling fluids, offering data centre operators a pre-validated approach to sustainable cooling validated through extensive testing at Intel’s Advanced Data Center Development Laboratory.

According to industry analysts Dell’Oro Group, liquid cooling is expected to account for 36 per cent of data centre thermal management revenue by 2028, with immersion cooling offering superior performance compared to traditional air cooling methods.

“As data centre demands continue to grow, Intel Data Center Certified for Immersion Cooling solutions will play a crucial role in delivering energy-efficient and scalable computing infrastructure,” said Karin Eibschitz Segal, corporate vice president and interim general manager of the Data Center Group at Intel.

The solution enables operators to “skip the proof-of-concept phase and jump straight to pre-vetted solutions”, according to Dr Selda Gunsel, chief technology officer and executive vice president of technology for Shell.

Shell’s immersion cooling technology builds on its gas-to-liquids expertise developed through its lubricants business. Jason Wong, global executive vice president of Shell Lubricants, stated that “upgrading existing air-cooling methods with immersion fluids can reduce data centre energy use by up to 48 per cent, as well as help reduce capital and operating expenditure by up to 33 per cent”.

The International Energy Agency has highlighted that data centres currently account for 1.5 per cent of global electricity demand, a figure projected to more than double from 415 terawatt hours in 2024 to approximately 945 terawatt hours by 2030, primarily driven by AI growth.

Intel principal engineer Samantha Yates emphasised the company’s confidence in the technology, noting that Intel is “providing an immersion rider warranty on top of our standard warranty terms to say we believe in this so much that you will be successful”.

The certification applies to both 4th and 5th Generation Intel Xeon processors, with the companies exploring certification for future processor generations. Industry experts note that immersion cooling can contribute to CO2 emissions reductions of up to 30 per cent and support up to 99 per cent less water consumption compared to traditional cooling methods.